Housing Discrimination in California: Findings from the 2023 and 2024 California Health Interview Survey

Alex J. Bates, PhD, MD, MPH, Priyanka Shrivastava, Susan H. Babey, PhD

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Policy Brief Press Release Infographic

Older African American man near For Rent sign and infographic with apartment building

Highlights

Although 4% of adult Californians overall reported that they had experienced housing discrimination in the past two years, certain populations experienced substantially higher rates.

For example, nearly one-quarter of those with unstable housing reported having experienced housing discrimination in the past two years.

Reducing housing discrimination in California requires coordinated, culturally informed strategies to lessen the burden faced by populations that have been historically targeted for discrimination.

Summary

Published Date: March 31, 2026

Housing discrimination is widely recognized as a significant public health issue, yet its prevalence and distribution across populations remain understudied in California. Using pooled 2023–2024 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) data for adults 18 and older, this policy brief highlights the prevalence of housing discrimination, groups that are discriminated against, and variations across populations and regions.

Key findings:

Approximately 1 in 25 (4%) adult Californians (18 and older) said they experienced harassment or discrimination related to housing in the past two years.
Nearly a quarter of Californians with unstable housing (24%), 10% of Black or African American Californians, 9% of those living with a disability, and 8% of transgender and gender-expansive Californians said they had experienced housing discrimination in the past two years.
Californians who had used or received a Housing Choice Section 8 Voucher (14%), those with household incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL)(8%), and those who rent (8%) had also experienced higher rates of housing discrimination than the state average (4%).
Among the entire adult population in California, approximately 1 in every 50 adult Californians (roughly 586,000 people) experienced housing discrimination due to race or skin color in the past two years.

Data Points

More than 1.3 million

Number of adult Californians who experienced housing discrimination in the past two years.

10%

Proportion of Black or African American adults in state who experienced housing discrimination in the past two years compared with the state average (4%).